Carrot guy's mushroom friend called Shru was able to escape from Choco's beating, and he brought the purple shiny orb with him. He secretly took the item from Pierre since he recognized that it was the special item listed in lookout list of the underworld economy.
Shru brought it with him to show it to his boss, hoping to gain some praise and reward fetching such item. And so he ran as fast as he can through the shortcut tunnels leading to their secret base located in Gumdrop Coast, the seventh layer of Sweet Kingdom.
It took him the whole day to make it back to the base, and Shru rushed to meet his boss. "Pardon me!" He greets after entering the office.
Standing in the dim lit room, a mysterious figure in a chocolate coat and a fedora was standing over the table was looking through a pile of documents. Then without batting an eye, he spoke. "What is it this time, Shru... this better be important."
"I-It is!" He pulls out the orb from his pockets, displaying it in his hands while it glows in the pretty shade of purple. "I found this!"
"And what's that supposed to be? A shiny glowing ball?—I hired you to find resources, TREASURES! Not toys, damn it."
"No boss, this isn't a toy. It's one of the rare items listed to lookout for! The very Crystal Grain of The Sugar Deity!" Shru stated, intriguing his boss instantly. "The one that the Royal Sugar Cube Family is looking for!?" He rushed to take the orb from Shru.
"Yes boss, the one that costs millions in the black market." Shru confirmed. "If we sell this item, our profits will sky rocket!"
"Hmmm..."
Shru was feeling confident that his boss was immensely impressed by this great item he brought, "What do you think, boss? Should I have someone arrange an auction at the Veggie Empire?" He eagerly wait for his response, expecting to receive some reward.
"It's best if we exclusively market this to the Sweet Kingdom, give notice to the premium members of the auctionary at once."
"But boss! We can fetch a better price for this at the Empire!"
"That's too risky!" His boss pressed, "Selling this at another kingdom will escalate to troublesome sh*t, Shru. We don't want none of that..."
Disappointed by his boss cowardly decision, Shru sighs and understood his order, "Okay, boss."
"Now go! Make sure the auction fetch a hefty sum on that item." Then the boss goes back to his own work, dismissing him right away. Shru pouted that he didn't even get a praise and so he went to his other coworkers to give notice about the new item.
And soon enough, they were able to distribute invitations for their premium members throughout the Sweet Kingdom for this auction, presenting the Crystal Grain as the special item for the event.
Plenty of the auctionary premium members were astonished to have read the item's name in the invitation, and to obtain such item will surely affect the control of favor of the royal family and power within the kingdom.
There was four notable premium members that took great interest on the item, each that wields great power and influence over the kingdom; Amarel La Caramel, the heir of Caramel Dukedom and steward of the Kingdom's agriculture. Marquis Avin Ru Vanilla, a member of the royal ministry and owner of mines. Viscount Syrus Maple, one of the leaders in the aristrocrat faction and owner of luxury establishments in the capital. And Cocoa Von Fudge, the tentative heiress of Duke Fudge, the Duke's apprentice and tentative successor of the leading arsenal and military training in the kingdom, and fiancè to Crown Prince Sugar Cube XI.
And moments before the invitation was received, an uproar was already happening at the Fudge estate, servants were in a disarray while serving the furious lady of the house.
"HOW DARE HE REJECT MY REQUEST!" Lady Cocoa roared, her powerful voice echoing through the hallways near her chambers. She rips the upsetting letter to shreds, then throws the pieces to the fireplace.
The lady-in-waiting tried to keep her composure as she tries to calm her mistress down with a cup of milk tea, "My lady, it will do you good if you have a sip of this calming tea."
"Argh!" She swiped the tea off the plate and threw it at the wall, "I'm not PARCHED, Zel!—I WANT THAT STUPID CHEATING PRINCE TO ANNUL THAT HUMILIATING ENGAGEMENT IMMEDIATELY!"
Zel clears her throat, choosing her words wisely or her lady might snap at her, "B-But my lady, won't it be best to keep your engagement to the Crown Prince?—"
"And why is that?" Lady Cocoa narrowed her eyes at Zel, making her incredibly nervous. "B-Because y-young master Choco—"
"IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS ALREADY!" She yelled to Zel's face, "THAT MAKES ME THE OFFICIAL HEIR OF THE FUDGE DUKEDOM! Goodness, Zel... can't you just all accept the fact that he's gone."
"My lady..." Zel gazed at her mistress sadly, "His grace still hasn't given up for the search of the young master. We all hope for his return soon."
"Seriously, GET A MOVE ON!" Lady Cocoa kicked a table, flipping it upside down and making a mess of the broken plates and cups on the floor.
"Damn patriarchy." she mumbled, "I get it... it's not that I'm not concerned about Choco's disappearance... it's just..." she sat herself down, pinching on the bridge of her nose.
"That reckless idiot, he always used to run away and disappear for a couple of days before, but he always returned home." Lady Cocoa sighed at the thought of Choco, "Then he ran away again with days, weeks, and months passing by. It's not like I want him gone, I miss my brother, but I just get the feeling he won't be coming back—at the very least, not anytime soon."
Zel was relieved to have her mistress calm down before causing more mess, but she didn't intend to get her depressed. She poured another warm cup of milk tea and served it to her, "Here you go, my lady. It's best to drink it warm."
"Thank you, Zel." Lady Cocoa takes a sip, calmly planning another scheme to get the Crown Prince to annul their engagement, and just on time, a butler arrived with a letter for the lady. "Lady Cocoa, here's a letter for you."
"Another one? Did that Crown Prince finally changed his mind!?" She happily took the letter off the butlers hands and was rather disappointed to read that it was just another invitation. "Ugh! So much for getting my hopes up—WAIT WHAT!?" Lady Cocoa thoroughly read the content of the invitation.
"What is it, my lady?"
A grin crept on lady Cocoa's face, "Zel." She turned to her lady-in-waiting, "Fetch me the finest cloak in the wardrobe, ans tell someone to prepare a carriage too!"
"Yes!?—" Surprised by her sudden mood shift, Zel nods frantically, "Understood, my lady!"
Now that Cocoa was left in the room by her own, she began cackling like a mad woman. "Yes... Yes!... YES! FINALLY SOMETHING GOOD IS HAPPENING!" She lifts the invitation and grinned as she reads special item of the event, "The Crystal Grain of The Sugar Deity—SOON I SHALL MAKE YOU MINE!"
And her powerful voice echoed through the whole estate, sending chills to servants intimidated by her.
Meanwhile, Marsh and Choco was in complete disbelief with Pierre's confession about losing the orb. "How come you haven't told us right away!?" Marsh frowned at him.
"Look, I didn't want to tell you guys because you probably would abandon me right on the spot." Pierre felt bad for breaking his promise in their agreement, "But come on, aren't we good friends by now? Can't you guys let this go?" He tried to look as sad and guilty as much as possible but his charm didn't work on either of them.
"Let it go?! Oh I'll let it go, alright—RIGHT AFTER I STRANGLE—" before Choco can pounce on Pierre, Marsh intervened before things can escalate, "Dude, calm down! It's still a fair bargain if he's not going to kill us, that thing is still a literal mind controlling beast." He whispered to his ear.
"Let's just get out of here." Choco grunted.
"Alright Pierre..." Marsh sighed. "I guess this is where we part ways."
"Wait!" Truly feeling guilt for breaking his promise, Pierre looks over to the wagon where the carrot guy rests. "I'm sorry for losing the orb, but I think the guy in that wagon can help."
"The guy?—Oh! I almost forgot he existed." Choco recalled.
"I hope that can help you take back the orb."
"I doubt it." Marsh sighed.
"Until we meet again!" And Pierre started waving goodbye.
"Yeah, we're never coming back here." Choco muttered with Marsh nodding along. Then the boys walks up to the wagon, checking on carrot guy who seemed to have fallen asleep.
Choco picked a dango and threw it on the guy, waking him up this instant, "Ow!—What now!?" He seemed upset with his sleep disturbed, though he gulped at the sight of a furious young boys glaring at him as if they were skinning him alive. "W-What more do you guys want from me!?"
"Tell us, where's the orb."